In the utility industry, transmission lines are used to direct electrical energy from one location to another. These lines are used to transmit the energy over short or long distances as necessary or desired. Further, a vibration damper is a device used for damping overhead power transmission lines. Vibration dampers comprise a pair of weights joined by a stranded steel cable (commonly known as a ‘messenger cable’) and a clamp attached to the cable at a location intermediate to the weights for attachment to an overhead power transmission cable. The configuration of weights mounted on the ends of the messenger cable is designed to resonate at frequencies determined to be appropriate for the vibration occurring in the transmission line cable. Vibration dampers function by dissipating energy through flexing of the messenger cable.
A typical vibration damper employs a messenger cable comprised of two or more layers of helically wound strands of high tensile steel wire. In the construction of vibration dampers, it is necessary to attach the damper weights securely to the ends of the messenger cable and this is conventionally done in a number of ways, such as: compressing the damper weights onto the messenger cable; using custom-made crimping dies to secure the messenger cable within the damper weights; molding/casting the damper weights onto the ends of the messenger cable; by using a potting metal or epoxy to secure the damper weights onto the ends of the messenger cable; by attaching a tapered collet onto each end of the messenger cable and then inserting the tapered collet into a complementary tapered hole in the damper weight; or passing all of the individual strands of the messenger cable through a hole in the damper weight and subsequently welding all of the strands onto the damper weight.
However, it has been found that an inexpensive and simple manufacturing process is needed, instead of custom-made crimping dies. Further, the quality and hardness of the metal used to make the damper weights should not affect the gripping of the messenger or performance of the damper assembly.